MMK adopts new Environmental Policy

Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) has recently adopted a new version of Environmental Policy. The program was drawn up within the framework of the company’s Mission and Strategic Goals; it made the reduction of harmful environmental impact one of the company’s strategic goals. This reduction is also expected to keep MMK’s produce competitive on the global metal goods market for a long time.

The Environmental Policy provides for the introduction of a new environmental management system based on ISO 14001:2004 requirements at MMK Group’s enterprises. Then, the environmental security of production processes is to be raised to the highest level modern technologies can provide. What is more, MMK intends to insist on the environmentally secure production processes on the part of the company’s suppliers and maintenance organizations and to monitor this security on their premises, MMK’s PR Department says.

Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works has been implementing annual environmental programs since the mid-nineties; all of these programs were targeted at restoring and upgrading the company’s environmentally important facilities. The enterprise managed to nearly halve its amount of harmful atmospheric emissions in 1997-2007 as well as to reduce the discharge in water by three times. In addition, MMK spends about 2 billion RUR a year on environmental projects.

In 2004, the enterprise successfully launched an environmental management system based on ISO 14001 standards. In 2007, the system underwent re-certification audit procedure that was carried out by the German TUV NORD CERT CmbH. The auditors declared that the company’s environmental management system met all of ISO 14001:2004 international standards and that the system was continually improving and operating efficiently. MMK received a new certificate valid through 2010.

Apart from this, the enterprise was awarded a medal and a diploma at the European Quality Gold Medal contest in 2007; the company won in Russia’s 100 Best Organizations/Environment & Environmental Management category.